Healthy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Just in time for Santa's arrival! It's never too late to adopt a healthier lifestyle, right?
Let's make something the jolly guy will enjoy, without upping his cholesterol count, shall we?

These cookies are made without flour, oil or butter. The secret ingredient? Avocado!
You don't taste the avocado once all is said and done.  Sneaky! As sneaky as climbing down a chimney with a bag of toys undetected.

These were the easiest cookies ever! I whipped these up in less than twenty minutes.
The texture is more cake like than cookie like but I'm not complaining.

• large avocado
• large egg
• 3/4 C coconut sugar
• 3/4 C cocoa powder
• heaping spoon of peanut butter (b/c why not?)
• a handful or more of enjoy life chocolate chunks (sweetened)

I used my kitchen aid mixer to blend it all together to ensure the avocado was smooth.

Once I was happy with my batter, I spooned scoops of batter onto a non-stick pan and put them into my oven set for 350 degrees, for about 10 minutes.

They actually taste better cold, if you can wait that long!  Just remember to save some for Ole Saint Nick.

Last Minute Fitmas Gift Ideas

The NutriBullet aka the kitchen gadget you don't know how you lived without

If you still have some shopping to do, consider a gift that will make someone's 2016 healthier.

I got the nutribullet last Christmas & have used it everyday since.

Some less pricey options :: 

• monogrammed lunch bag
• headphones
• homemade almond butter
• heart rate monitor
• subscription to a health or fitness magazine

Or an assortment of kitchen gadgets for the food prepper in your life. 

I love my avocado keeper & pitter/cutter, individual can strainer, mini cutting board, colorful knives & we all know I live for my vegetti! Happy Shopping! 

A New York City Christmas

Bryant Park Fountain, Winter 2014

I hate being cold. I'm always cold. My office is a balmy 45 degrees regardless of the season.
In my twenties, I was always hot. I would sweat blow drying my hair. God is playing a cruel joke on me via my core temperature.

He (or She) also seems to hate the cold this winter too, because it's been an unseasonably warm December. I went for a run outside this past weekend and had to take off my thin warm-up jacket because I was sweating up a storm.

Last winter had me living in snow boots, multiple layers and often more than one pair of pants. I kid you not, I wore leggings under work slacks all the time last year.

While I don't miss the cold per say, I miss the magical feeling it brings when mixed with the holidays. Specifically the holidays in New York City.  There's an energy and vibe all season long that is unmatched elsewhere. New York City is Christmas in my mind.

As a kid, my parents took us to The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center every year. I can easily recall being dressed up and driving through the city, marveling at the bright lights and sky scrappers that disappeared into the night sky.

The tree at Rockefeller Center is beautiful, looming over hoards of people below.  But my favorite thing to see are the storefront windows.  If you've never seen a Christmas window display at Bloomingdale's or Saks, you don't know magic.

While anything can happen in the next few days, it looks like this Christmas will not be the white, snowy one I'm nostalgic for.

Regardless, I hope this holiday season brings joy to and hope that seems to have gone missing with the cold weather.

Here's hoping for a healthy, happy & peaceful 2016. And maybe even some snow!

Savory breakfast Egg "Crepe"

While I don't discriminate against any one meal, breakfast is actually my least favorite. I think it's because I make my breakfast to go and eat at my desk at work.

It kind of takes the joy out of a meal that's best eaten in pajamas.

Yogurt and oatmeal are easy go-to's, but I've been trying to evenly distribute my carb intake lately so I turned to eggs.

I'm not a huge fan of eggs and I like them less and less as I get older. Trying to get creative with them has NOT been easy. However, my latest concoction  has me actually looking forward to breakfast.

One whole egg
One egg white
Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese of choice (I like feta)
Favorite egg toppings. Ex; Onions, peppers, salsa, beans, ham etc.

Use a large frying pan, one you'd typically use for larger meals. Get the pan hot before adding the eggs. I turn my range on high for 2 minutes to get the pan hot, then knock the temp down before I pour in the eggs.

In a bowl, scramble the eggs and seasonings.  Spray with a non-stick spray, pour eggs into pan and evenly coat the entire surface with the scrambled eggs.

Let the edges get solid before attempting to flip what will now look like a large egg crepe.
Take your time! Once flipped, turn down the heat to low and add your favorite mix-ins.

I chose feta cheese, some lettuce and a few sliced Greek olives, then rolled it up. You can roll it or fold it, whichever you prefer.
I topped this off with a slice of toast (Gluten Free) and some coconut oil. 
It makes waking up before the sun almost worth it :)

Consistency

Staying Consistent

It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle.

It took me a LONG time to realize changing my appearance meant changing my habits.
A lot of people think Advocare, the 24 day challenge or the 10 day cleanse are quick fixes or fad diets.

Why should you try it? How is it different?

It's different because it's not a "diet." It's a tool to TEACH you what you need to do to make a difference in your health. I think of it as groundwork to a new, healthier, fulfilling lifestyle.

The pic on the right was taken the last week of November. No challenge, no cleanse. I've just been monitoring my macros and taking the Advocare supplements that work for me. .

The pic on the left is after my 24 day challenge in May of 2014. The middle pic is from July of 2015 when I finished my 10 day cleanse.

As you can see, my weight HAS NOT yo-yo'd. I didn't put everything I lost, and then some, back on. I stayed consistent! .

Advocare gave me the tools to make better choices and live a healthier lifestyle. Hence the reason I continue to use their products & why I am an adviser.

Why not try it? Why not give yourself a chance to make a change? You have nothing to lose but bad habits :) I made the choice to change & am so glad I did!

Click Here to read my weight loss story